Fluorescent luminaire



Aug- 12, 1958 E. C. HUERKAMP ET AL 2,847,561 F LUORESCENT LUMINIRE FiledFeb. 15, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ggseph W. Steiner.

' I @MJ/ATM Aug. 12, 1958 E. c. HUERKAMP ETAL 2,847,561

' FLUoREscENT LUMINAIRE y Filed Feb. 15, 1954 2 sheets-sheet 2 2,847,561FLUORESCENT LUMINAIRE Edward C. Huerkamp, Fairview Park, and Joseph W.

Steiner, North lmsted, (Bixio, assignors to Westinghouse ElectricCorporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication February 15, 1954, Serial No. 410,294 Claims. (Cl.Mtl-51.11)

wiring and control components and from which extends lamp holding means.A reflector is thereafter secured to the fixed member, and in order topermit lamps to be located beneath the reflector the reflector isprovided with openings through which the lamp holding means extend.

nite States. Patent O Such a construction necessarily requires that thelamps be removed if it is desired to remove the reflector for Variousmaintenance reasons such as cleaning or wiring repairs. the uorescentlamp luminaires with the lamps therein may be located a considerabledistance above the floor level of the illuminated area, and in order toprevent breakage during maintenance, the lamps and reiiectors areseparately carried or lowered to the floor level before starting to makethe required repairs in the fixed member. After the repairs have beenfinished the reverse process is followed in replacing first thereflector and then the lamps to the fixed supporting member. In View ofthe large number of such luminaires it can be seen' that considerableunproductive time may be consumed in servicing or repairing suchfixtures. Also, such a luminaire construction requires that therelamping be done at the luminaire. At elevated positions, it is quitedifficult to carry the required number of lamps by hand, remove thedefective lamps, and return to the floor level without consuming aconsiderable length of time due to the natural tendency to Abe cautious.For such installations it is desirable that the relamping process beaccomplished at the floor level.

Some prior attempts to accomplish these purposes have beenunsatisfactory as they have entailed mounting all the electrical controlcomponents on a movable unit including reflector, electrical transformerand/ or ballast, lamps and lampholders, which unit is movable into andout of engagement with a fixed supporting member. In such luminaires thetotal weight of the movable unit is so great that they cannot be handledreadily. In many cases such constructions have required floor levelactuated releasing controls, or complex counterbalanced movablemountings as the movable unit cannot easily be handled at elevatedheights.

Another disadvantage of fluorescent light luminaires having lamp holdersmounted on the fixed supporting member is that during manufacture, theelectrical connections to the lamp holder terminals must be made infinal Shop assembly or elaborate harnesses provided and handled with thelamp holders attached by wire to the harnesses. Such a method ofassembly is inherently rela,-v

ytively expensive.

As can also be appreciated in many installations,

2,847,5@bil Another object of our invention is to provide an improvedluminaire having a removable refiector which automatically electricallydisconnects the lamp holding means when removed.

A converse yobject of our invention is to provide an improved luminairehaving an insertible reflector with lamp holder means attached thereto,which automatically electrically connects the lamp holding means whenthe reflector is attached to the fixed supporting member of theluminaire.

Another object of our invention is to provide an improved luminairehaving lamp holding means, lamps, and

reflector means assembled as a removable unit which may easily beinstalled from the underside of the fixed supporting member of theluminaire, and at the same time automatically establishes the necessaryelectrical connections.

A further object of our invention is to provide a luminaire which may bereadily relamped at the oor level.

Still another object of our invention is to provide an improvedluminaire which requires only `simple `wiring `assembly operations atfinal shop assembly of the luminaire.

These and other objects will become more apparent upon consideration ofthe following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of ourinvention, when taken inconjunction with the attached drawings, inwhich:

Figure l is a partial longitudinal cross section view of a luminaireconstruction in accordance with our invention with certain parts shownin elevation;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal cross section View of the luminaire shown in Fig.l, taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. l and with theremovable unit shown separated from the fixed support member; and

Fig. 3 is an isolated sectional view of the electrical connecting meansutilized in the luminaire shown in Figs. l and 2.

One type of luminaire illustrating a representative embodiment of theprinciples of our invention is shown in the drawings, and it comprises achannel-shaped body member 1 having spaced substantially parallel sidewalls 2, each of which terminates in a longitudinal inwardly facingflange 3. The body l may be formed from any suitable material such assheet metal and may be mounted either flush against, or supported inspaced relation with various types of ceiling or wall constructions byvarious well-known supporting means (not shown). In an installationwhere a large number of luminaires are required, a plurality of bodies lmay be mounted in spaced relationship, or in one or more continuons rowswherein the body membersi are placed in end-to-end abuttingrelationship. inasmuch as a particular form oi' mounting for the bodymember is unimportant with respect to our invention, for the sake ofsimplicity in describing our invention, only an overhead mounting willbe referred to.

A ballast unit 5 for controlling the fluorescent lamps "l2 is securedthrough integra-l legs 6 at each of its ends to bight portion i of body1 in any suitable manner, such as by the machine screw and nut assembly7. It will be noted that a single separate subassembly is provided ateach endof .body member 1,.which may easily be inserted into body memberi, both to cross bracethe side walls v2 of body member l, and to providea support for both the reflector attaching means and the elec-- tricalconnecting means. Whilefsuch a subassembly could l be inserted andsecured in body member 1 in a number Patented Aug. 12, 1958 j W2,847,561 F A l' of different ways, the herein illustrated embodiment ofr the invention includes provision for inserting it from the undersideof body member 1. For this purpose, an opposed pair of notches 9 areprovided in the flanges 3 inwardly displaced from each end of the bodymember 1 and a second opposed pair of notches 10 are provided in theflanges 3 inwardly displaced from each pair of notches 9, respectively,so that two pairs of opposed notches are positioned in flanges 3 at eachend of body member 1.

Each of the end subassemblies includes a support 3 having a generallyinverted U-shaped cross section, which may be fabricated from anysuitable material such as sheet metal, and is insertible from theunderside of body 1 in a manner to be described. Each supportd comprisesan upper cross plate 11 with integral downwardly extending flanges 14and 15 at each of its sides. In order ot provide clearance, cross plate11 is slightly smaller laterally than the lateral distance between theflanges 3. Flanges 15 are longitudinally displaced upon cross plate 11from flanges 14, whereby two sets of downwardly opposed flanges areprovided at opposite sides which are spaced apart a distancecorresponding to the longitudinally spaced notches 9 and 10 in flanges 3at each end of body 1. As shown in Figure 2, flanges 14 and 15 at eachside extend beyond the side edges of cross plate 11. By thisarrangement, a support 8 may be inserted from the underside at eitherend of body 1 by aligning flanges 14 and 15 with notches 9 and 10,respectively, and moving support plate 8 upwardly with cross plate 11clearing flanges 3. After flanges 14 and 15 have cleared flanges 3, andare positioned thereabove, support S may then be moved longitudinallywithin body member 1 towards the adjacent end thereof and lowered sothat flanges 14 and 15 engage and are supported on the upper surface offlanges 3. The reverse procedure can be followed if it is desirable toremove a support 3 from the body member 1 at any subsequent time.

In order to cross brace body 1 and to definitely locate each support 8within body 1, each side Wall 2 is provided above the flanges 3 betweennotches 9 and 10 with an opening through which the body of a standardsheet metal screw 17 may be inserted. A V-shaped sheet metal nut 13 maybe utilized to hold screw 17 in body 1. Nuts 18 are provided with a holein their outer leg 51) through which the body of screw 17 extends, and ahole in their inner leg 52 which threadedly engages the screw 17. Screw17 may be taken up so as to initially slightly compress the legs 50 and52 of nut 18. Thereafter, due to the spring effect of nuts 18, each nut18 will hold its screw 17 so that the latter projects inward from eachside wall 2 at all times. Each flange 15 of support 8 is provided with alongitudinally tapered notch 19 having its open side towards flange 14,so that when support 8 is moved longitudinally within body 1 toward theadjacent open end of body 1, each flange 15 is Vlocated between the legs50 and 52 of the V-shaped nut 18, and the body of a screw 17 entersnotch 19. Thereafter, each support 8 may be rigidly secured to each sidewall 2 by tightening screws 17. The specific fastening means describedis preferred due tothe enumerated advantages; however, it will berealized that other similar fastening means may be employed if desired.For a more complete description of this particular construction,reference is made to the copending application entitled, FuorescentLuminaires of Simplified Construction by Joseph W. Steiner and WilliamS. Kolb, filed June 19, 1953, Serial No. 362,896, and which applicationhas been assigned to the same assignee as this invention.

Each-cross plate 11 of support 8 is provided with a hole (not. shown)positioned adjacent to, but displaced from, its inner edge through whichan upwardly extending stud portion of a wing lock 26 extends. The studportion 25 may be formed from any suitable material,

l and is preferably formed from steel rod in order that the stud portion25 may be threaded to receive a nut 27 at its upper end, and in orderthat its lower end may be formed into a grip loop 28. A helical spring29, which may be formed from any suitable spring material such as springsteel is positioned around stud portion 25 of wing lock 26. The nut 27is threaded on stud portion 25 so that the spring 29 is secured understress between the upper surface of cross plate 11 and the lower surfaceof nut 27, thereby biasing the wing lock 26 `upwardly. In order toprevent spring 29 from pulling stud portion 25 of wing lock 26 upwardbeyond a certain point, stud portion 25 is provided with a pair ofintegral outwardly extending tabs 30 which may be formed by any suitableprocess, such as cold impact forming, with the tabs 30 located beneaththe undersurface of cross plate 11 to be engageable therewith. Winglocks 26 are utilized to Secure a reflector 31, which may be of anydesired form such as the approximate U-form illustrated, to the bodymember 1 in a manner hereinafter described.

The reflector 31 may be formed from any suitable material, such as sheetmetal, having a bight portion 32 adapted to be held in engagement withthe undersurfaces of flanges 3 of the body member 1. Approximatelyrectilinear osets 33 are provided adjacent each end of bight portion 32of reflector 31, having both their longitudinal and lateral center lineslocated so as to pass through the center of stud portions 25 whenaligned therewith. In order to permit grips 28 of wing locks 26 toextend below reflector 31, a laterally extending centrally located slot34 is provided in each offset 33, and these slots are longitudinallyspaced to correspond to the longitudinal spacing of the axes of studportions 25 of the wing locks 26. Portions of offsets 33 adjacent slots34 are provided with cam surfaces 24 which are cooperable, when grips 2gare turned around their axes, with the rounded upper surface 22 of grips28 to cause wing locks 26 to be displaced downwardly and compresssprings 29 whereby reflector 31 is secured to the underside of body 1.To insure that grips 28 are securely locked when so rotated, a recess 21is provided in offset 33, along the longitudinal center line of offset33, which is joined at each of its sides to the underside of offset 33by a cam surface 23.

In operation, grips 28 of wing lock 26 are initially turned so that theyextend laterally between the side walls 2 of body 1. Reflector 31 maythen be manually positioned against the underside of flanges 3 of bodymember 1 so that grips 23 extend through the slots 34. Thereafter eachgrip 28 may be individually grasped and initially rotated so thatsurfaces 22 of the grips 28 engage the cam surfaces 24 at each side ofthe slot 34. Further rotation of the grip 2S causes the surfaces 22 ofgrip 28 to ride on cam surfaces 24 onto the undersurface of offsets 33.Upon further rotation of grips 2S, surfaces 22 of grips 28 will belowered by engagement with longitudinal cam surfaces 23 into thelongitudinal recesses 21. ln order to remove reflector 31,V the reverseprocess is followed. As recesses 21 are above the bottom surfaces ofoffsets 33, grips 28 will be secured against accidental rotation due tothe force required to compress springs 29 to move grips 28 from recesses21.

As shown in Figs. l and 2, a spring type lamp holder assembly 13 and astationary type lamp holder assembly 13 are located adjacent oppositeends of reflector 31 being longitudinally spaced apart to receivetherebetween any one of the standard lengths of fluorescent lamps 72. Inkeeping with the purposes of this invention, llamp holders 13 and 13'are permanently secured to the bight portion32 of reflector 31, so thatwhen reflector 31 is removed from the body 1 as previously described,the lamp holders are also separated from the body 1. As shown,assemblies 13 and 13' are adapted to support three such lamps 72,however, it will be obvious that otherk forms of lamp holders, such asbi-pin types, may be employed for supporting a greater or smaller.number of lamps, within the scope of this invention. It will also beapparent that it is immaterial at which end of reflector 31 theassemblies 13 and 13 are located. Referring to lamp holder assembly 13,it will be noted that it includes a metal cover 40 which is attached toa metal base 41 by any suitable means (not shown) such as screws orrivets. Cover 411 is provided with round openings 42 in its faceopposite basev 41. An insulating cupshaped member 43 is disposed insidecover 40 at each of the openings 42. A dome shaped insulating member 44is slidably mounted in the cup member 43 and is biased outwardly againstthe cover 4t) by a spring 45. Domeshaped member 44 is also provided witha peripheral ange 46 which engages the cover 40 adjacent the edges ofits opening 42, and limits the outward movement of the dome-shapedmember 44. A cup-shaped contact 47 fabricated from any suitableelectrical conducting material having a centrally disposed circularopening 48 therein, is disposed against the inner side of dome-shapedmember 44 with the opening 48 in alignment with a centrally disposedcircular opening 49 in dome-shaped member 44, to permit the contact pin'73 of a lamp 72 to be inserted in engagement with contact 47 at theopening 43, to thereby establish electrical contact with the contact 47.

ln order to provide an electrical circuit, a contact washer 51, which isfabricated from any suitable electrical conducting material, such ascopper or brass, is dispo-sed on the bottom of the cup-shaped member 43around an integral projection 12 of member 43. The stripped end of aninsulated electrical conductor 53 is connected to washer 51 by anysuitable means, such as soldering, and extends through the side ofcup-shaped member 43 by means of a clearance hole 60. As the spring 45is interposed between Washer 51 and the cup-shaped member 43, and isformed from a suitable electrical conducting material, an electricalcircuit is established from the conductor 53, through the washer 51, thespring 45 to the contact 47, and to the contact pin 73 of an insertedlamp 72. As shown, the spring 45 biases the contact 4'7 outwardly towardthe cover 40 at all times.

Referring to lamp holder assembly 13', it will be noted that the samecover 4d and base 41 arrangement is utilized, as in lamp holder assembly13, previously described. An insulating member 54 is provided within thecover 4t) and base 41, having a circular ridge 16 on its outer surfacedisposed to t in each opening 42. Each insulating member 54 is providedwith a centrally disposed opening 63 which has a relatively small outerportion 55. Oppositely disposed L-shaped contacts 56, which arefabricated from any suitable electrical conducting material such ascopper or brass, are mounted so that their long legs are located inopening 63 at opposite sides thereof to engage the opposite sides of acontact pin 'i3 when inserted through portion 55 of opening 63. Theshort legs of L-shaped contacts 56 are located against the back ofinsulating member 54. An insulating disc 5S is disposed against theshort legs of contacts 56; lnsulating spacers 59 engage between discs 58and the inner surface of base 41, thereby forcing the dise 5S againstthe short legs of contacts 56, and they in turn against insulatingmember 54, to thus hold contacts 56 in place at all times. The necessaryelectrical connections to the contacts 56 are made -by conductors 57which are secured to contacts 56 in any suitable manner, such assoldering.

The lamp holders 13 and 13 described, have been widely utilized in thelighting industry, and the particular construction and operation thereofdo not form a part of this invention. Lamp holder assemblies similar tothose described, are more clearly sho-wn and described in detail inPatent No. 2,728,057.

As more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the bight portion 32 ofreflector 31 is provided with a laterally extending opening 20, adjacenteach of its ends, through which a terminal block 35 extends, so thatupon securing reector 31 to the body 1, terminal blocks 35 are locatedbetween the anges 3 of body 1. As terminal blocks 35 contain variouselectrical components, they are formed from any suitable insulatingmaterial, such as a laminated plastic, and are secured to the covers 40of lamp holders 13 and 13 by any suitable means, such as by machinescrew and nut assemblies 36. The upper surface 61 of each terminal block35 is provided with a plurality of upwardly extending electricalcontacts 62 which are I utilized to electrically connect the lampholders 13 and 13 to the source of supply, as hereinafter described.Contacts 62 may be produced from any suitableelectrical conductingmaterial, such as a silver-nickel alloy, and may be secured withinterminal blocks by any suitable method such as by an interference t orby being molded integral therewith. Each contact 62 is accessible fromits underside by means of a plurality of openings 64 which extend fromthe underside of each contact 62 through terminal block 35. In orderthat each opening 64 is accessible from the inside of the cover 46 oflamp holders 13 and 13', an elongated slot 65 is provided in the upperWall of covers 4t) which extends beneath the openings 64 wherebyconductors 53 and 57 may be inserted into openings 64 and be secured tocontacts 62 of their respective terminal blocks 35, by any suitablemeans such as by soldering. If desired, conductors 53 and 57 mayinitially be drawn through openings 64, their ends stripped ofinsulation, then secured to the underside of contacts 62, and thereaftercontacts 62 may be forced into frictional engagement with openings 64within terminal blocks 35. 1t will be noted that the number of contacts62 which may be utilized may be varied, and is limited only by theirphysical size and the distance between anges 3 of body 1.

As shown in Fig. l, there is a contact block 38, which may be fabricatedfrom any suitable insulating material, such as a laminated plastic,secured to the underside of each cross piece 11, so as to be locatedbetween the flanges 14, by any suitable means such as machine screws 39threadedly engaging threaded holes 37 in cross piece 11. Each contactblock 38 is provided with an elongated downwardly facing Hat-bottomedtapered recess 91 into which terminal blocks 35 ft when the reflector 31is secured to the body 1. In order that electrical connections may beestablished with terminal blocks 35 when the reflector 31 is secured tobody 1, each contact block 38 is provided with a plurality of laterallyextending approximately rectangular openings 92 which extend from theinner end of recess 91 through one side of the block at a point belowthe dat bottom 94 of recess 91, whereby a shoulder 95 is formed at theinner end of each opening 92. As can be appreciated, the variouselectrical conductors 96, such as the conductors extending from theballast 5, which are required for controlling lamps 72 are locatedwithin body member 1. In order, however to establish a circuit tocontacts 62 on terminal block 35, a spring contact 97 is secured to thestripped end of each conductor 96. Spring contacts 97 may be formed fromany suitable resilient electrical conducting material, such as aPhosphor-bronze alloy, and may be secured to conductors in any suitablemanner such as by soldering. As shown, contacts 97 are provided with anintegrally formed eye 93 at their inner end through which the bare wireof a conductor 96 may be inserted and held by crimping or by soldering.As more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3, spring contacts 97 areirregularly shaped having an upper end portion 161) which engages theupper surface of an opening 92 and which terminates in an upwardlyoifset portion 81 which engages the at bottom 94 of recess 91 behindshoulder 95. Otset portion 81 terminates in a generally downwardlyextending portion 82 which engages the outer sloping surface 93 ofrecess 91, and which in turn terminates in an inwardly and generallydownwardly extending contact portion 83. Spring contacts 97 arefabricated so that they are slightly smaller in width than the width ofopenings 92, and as both end portions 83 and 100 are located within anopening 92, the spring contacts 97 are heldin alignment with recess 91.It will also be noted that by this construction, the top portions ofspring contacts 97 are biased upwardly by the lower free end portion 83,so that the otset portion S1 is engaged behind the shoulder 95 incontact block 38, to thus be ezctively locked in the positionillustrated.

It will be noted that this invention provides a luminaire that mayeasily be assembled both in the factory and in the eld. Prior toassembly of ballast to body mehr ber 1, spring contacts 97 may beassembled to ballast conductors 96. Then the ballast unit 5 and thesubassembly supports S may easily be secured in place as described.Spring contacts 97 may then be inserted within appropriate openings 92of contact blocks 38 and will automatically lock themselves in place.Once offset portion 81 has cleared shoulder 95 of contact block 33, thefree end 83 of spring contact 97 forces the offset portion 81 upwardagainst the flat bottom 94 of recess 91. Thus, it will be noted thatbody member 1 may be completely and quickly prewired in the factorywithout requiring any wiring harnesses or special tools, and that due tothe spring bias of free end 83 each contact 97 will be securely heldwithin its contact block 38 at all times.

It will also be noted that as terminal block extends above the bightportion 32 of reflector 31 they may be designed and located so as toenter recess 91 of the contact blocks 38 when the reflector 31 issecured to the body 1. Contacts 62 are located upon the upper surface ofterminal blocks 35 and are spaced laterally so as to respectively engagethe free ends 83 of spring contacts 97 and force the free end 33 upward.By this means a positive electrical connection is maintained betweeneach spring contact 97 which is engaged by a contact 62.

Another important feature of our invention is the facility by whichdifferent types of lamps may be controlled, and the different type ofcontrol circuits which may be utilized, by using a single standardcontact block 38, and a single standard terminal block 35. Such afeature is particularly important from an initial fabricating coststandpoint, however, it is also of value in the eld, in that it permitsa particular luminaire installation to be altered without requiring anyextensive changes in the fixed components of the lighting system. InFigs. l and 2 a three lamp fixture is illustrated wherein lamps 72 havea single contact pin 73 at each of their ends which are energizedthrough the contact blocks 3S and the terminal blocks 35. Such a systemrequires that each Contact pin 73 at each end of lamp 72 be individuallyenergized, which necessitates a minimum of three openings 92 in contactblocks 38 and three openings 6d 'n terminal blocks 35. Also, if desired,one spring contact 97 and conductor 62 may be utilized to make and breakthe primary electrical supply circuit of the luminaire upon theinsertion or removal of terminal block 35, with respect to contact block38 and another spring contact 97 yand conductor 62 may be utilized toelectrically ground the reflector assembly. It can be realized that oncethe greatest number of spring contacts 97 is determined which it isdesired to supply commercially, the same contact blocks 38 and terminalblocks 35 may be utilized for circuits requiring less spring contacts97, and that the unnecessary openings 92 and 64 may be lett blank. Suchan installation may also be readily altered in the field.

As has been indicated, one of the primary purposes of our invention isto provide a reilector and lamp assembly which may readily be detachedfrom the stationary part of the luminaire as a unit. lt will be notedthat our construction entails a separate sub-assembly comprising areflector 31 to which lamp holders 13 and 13 are secured, and that lamps72 may be held between the lamp holders 13 and 13 at any time. Thisentire subassembly may be secured in operative position simply by meansof wing locks 26, as previously described. ln order that such asub-assembly may be secured to body member 1 without requiring anexamination as to whether it is properly located with respect to body 1,slots 34 in the bight portion 32 of reector 31 may be displaced from thelongitudinal centerline of reector 31, so that reflector 31 can only besecured to body 1 in one relative position. It is obvious that in athree lamp luminaire wing locks 26 must be displaced from thelongitudinal centerline of reector 31 as the center lamp is on suchcenterline and that adequate space must be provided between lamps topermit rotation of grips 28. lf desired, reflector 31, wing locks 26,contact blocks 38, and terminal blocks 35 may be fabricated so that itis immaterial what the relative position of the retlector 31 is relativeto body member 1. In such case slots 34 in reector 31 would be on thelongitudinal centerline (or symmetrically displaced therefrom) of thereflector 31 and duplicate wiring of Contact blocks 38 and terminalblocks 35 would be required at each end.

It should also be noted that spring contacts 97 are recessed from theunderside of body 1 in order to prevent accidental engagement therewith.However, when the reector 31 is secured to body 1, the spring contacts97 are engaged by contacts 62 on terminal blocks 35, and the contactpins 73 of lamps 72 are energized as previously described. Upon removalof reflector 31 from body 1, the electrical circuit to lamps 72 isbroken. Although the particular description hereinabove given is withrelation to tiuorescent lamps 72 having one contact pin 73 at each oftheir ends, it is obvious that the principles of our invention areequally applicable to bi-pin or other type lamps and holders. It isbelieved that it is equally obvious that a greater or smaller number oflamps 72 may be located within the luminaire rather than the three lampconstruction shown illustrated herein.

In many present day lighting installations it is also desirable thatbody 1 be of suicient length so that a plurality of reilectors 31,either in spaced or end-to-end relationship, may be secured thereto. Itis believed apparent that a luminaire constructed in accordance with theprinciples of our invention is readily adaptable for such type ofinstallations. Such purposes are easily accomplished by providing body 1with a plurality of mounting openings and means, as previouslydescribed, and wiring the various electrical components together withinbody 1. Thereafter, a plurality of retiectors 31 may be secured, aspreviously described, to body 1.

Having described a preferred embodiment of the invention in accordancewith the patent statutes, it is desired that the invention be notlimited to such specific construction, inasmuch as it is apparent thatmodifications in addition to those speciiically pointed out herein, maybe made without departing from the broad spirit and scope of thisinvention. Accordingly, it is desired that this invention be interpretedas broad as possible and that it be limited only as required by theprior art.

We claim as our invention:

l. A luminaire comprising, an elongated inverted trough member, spacedtransverse supports in said trough member extending across parts thereofadjacent the lower edges of the sides of said trough member and at eachend thereof, means securing opposite ends of each of said supports toopposite sides of said trough member, respectively, ballast meansmounted in said trough member intermediate said supports, a terminalblock mounted on each of said supports and having terminals supportedthereby, electrical conductors in said trough member connecting saidballast means and said terminals, an elongated reector formed of asingle sheet of material having opposite sides bent downwardly and anintermediate longitudinally extending portion adapted at its operativeposition to directly engage the lower ends of the sides of said troughmember to close the lower open side thereof, lampholders mounted on eachend of said reector, contact means on the upper side of said reector ateach end thereof and positioned to engage said terminals when saidreflector is at its aforesaid operative position, means electricallyconnecting said lampholders to said contacts, and releasable means oneach of said supports engaging said intermediate part of the reilectorfor holding the latter at its operative position with said contactsengaging said terminals.

2. A luminaire comprising, an elongated inverted trough member, spacedterminal blocks mounted in said trough member, ballast means mounted insaid trough member at a point spaced intermediate of said terminalblocks, electrical conductors permanently connected to said ballastmeans and having terminals permanently secured thereto, said terminalblocks being of insulating material and having openings facing saidballast means for receiving said terminals, said terminals being of aresilient material and of a shape to be stressed upon insertion intosaid openings, cooperating latch means on each terminal and the wall ofits block opening responsive to insertion of a terminal in its blockopening to automatically latch the terminal at an operative positiontherein, said blocks also having downwardly facing openings exposinginner portions of said terminals, an elongated reflector formed of asingle sheet of material having opposite sides bent downwardly and anintermediate longitudinally extending portion adapted at its operativeposition to directly engage the lower ends of the sides of said troughmember to close the lower open side thereof,

` lampholders mounted on said reector, contact means on the upper sideof said reflector positioned to engage said terminals when saidreflector is at its aforesaid operative position, means electricallyconnecting said lampholders to said contacts, and releasable meansengaging said reflector for holding the latter at its yoperativeposition with said contacts 'engaging said terminals.

3. A luminaire comprising, an elongated inverted trough member, spacedterminal blocks mounted in said trough member, ballast means mounted insaid trough member at a point spaced intermediate of said terminalblocks, electrical conductors permanently connected to said ballastmeans and having terminals permanently secured thereto of U-shape withdevergent legs and the conductors being connected to the upper leg ofeach terminal, said terminal blocks =being of insulating material andhaving openings facing said ballast means for receiving said terminals,each terminal being of resilient material and of a size such that itslegs are forced toward each other by insertion of the terminal bightportion foremost into its block opening, cooperating latch means on theupper leg of each terminal arid `the upper wall of ing responsive toinsertion of a terminal in its block opening to automatically latch theterminal at an operative position therein, said blocks also havingdownwardly facing openings exposing a portion of the lower leg of eachterminal, an elongated reiiector formed of a single sheet of materialhaving opposite sides bent downwardly and an intermediate longitudinallyextending portion adapted at its operative position to directly engagethe lower ends of its sides of said trough member to close the loweropen side thereof, lampholders mounted on said reiiector, contact meanson the upper side of said reiiector positioned to engage said terminalswhen said reector is its block open- 10 at its aforesaid operativeposition, means electrically connecting :said lampholders to saidcontacts, and releasable means engaging said reilector for holding thelatter at its operative position with said contacts engaging saidterminals. 4. A luminaire comprising, an elongated inverted troughmember, spaced terminal blocks mounted in said trough member, ballastmeans mounted in said trough member at a point spaced intermediate ofsaid terminal blocks, electrical conductors connected to said ballastmeans and having terminals secured thereto, said terminal blocks beingof insulating material and having openings facing said ballast means forreceiving said terminals, said blocks also having downwardly facingopenings exposing inner portions of said terminals, said terminals beingof resilient material having one portion secured in the first-mentionedblock openings and another leaf spring portion extending across saiddownwardly facing openings, an elongated reector formed of a singlesheet of material having opposite sides bent downwardly and anintermediate longitudinally extending portion adapted lat its operativeposition to directly engage the lower ends -of the sides of said troughmember to close the lower open side thereof, larnpholders mounted onsaid reflector, rigid contact means projecting from the upper side ofsaid reiiector positio-ned to engage said terminals when said reflectoris at its aforesaid operative position, means electrically connectingsaid lampholders to said contacts, and releasable means engaging saidreiiector for holding the latter at its operative position with saidcontacts engaging said terminals under stress.

5. A luminaire comprising, an elongated inverted trough member, spacedterminal blocks mounted in said trough member, ballast means mounted insaid trough member at a point spaced intermediate of said terminalblocks, electrical conductors connected to said ballast means and havingterminals secured thereto, said terminal iblocks being of insulatingmaterial and having openings facing said ballast means for receivingsaid terminals, each of said blocks having a single downwardly facingelongated opening exposing inner portions of all the terminalsassociated therewith, said terminals being of resilient material havingone portion secured in the rstmentioned block openings and another leafspring portion extending across said downwardly facing openings, anelongated rellector formed of a single sheet of material having oppositesides bent downwardly and an interi mediate longitudinally extendingportion adapted at its operative position to directly engage the lowerends of the sides of said trough member to close the lower open sidethereof, lampholders mounted on said reiiector, rigid contact meansprojecting from the upper side of said reflector positioned to engagesaid terminals when said reilector is at its aforesaid operativeposition, means electrically connecting said lampholders to saidcontacts, and releasable means engaging said reflector for holding thelatter at its operative position with said contacts engaging saidterminals under stress.

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